Journalist’s child luring case back in court next week

The case of a journalist accused of luring a youth younger than 16 by sending a series of messages through the Internet will return to St. John’s provincial court next Friday.

At that time, lawyer Mike King expects to discuss whether he will follow through on his previously mentioned intention to file a charter application on behalf of his client, 42-year-old Kevin John Kelly. King appeared Friday morning on Kelly’s behalf before Judge Lois Skanes.

Kelly was charged for allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a teenage girl over the course of a five-week period.

He is a former senior editor for the Newfoundland Herald and is best known for his coverage of the provincial arts and entertainment scene.

In July, King told the court that investigating authorities destroyed the replica hard drive after analyzing it. The replica was created after police confiscated the accused’s computer. The computer has since been returned.

King told the court in July that a replica hard drive is typically offered to the defence so it can obtain an independent analysis of its contents.